Throttle valve for stopers



Oct. 19, 1948. FEUCHT 2,451,671

THROTTLE VALVE FOR STOPERS Filed Aug. 17, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet l F i l lNVENTOR AL T FEUCHT 1 BY ATTORNEY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 y k M5 Y w M M W H m Oct. 19, 1948. A. FEUCHT THROTTLE VALVE FOR STOPERS Filed Aug. 1'7, 1945 Patented Oct. 19, 1948 Albert F'eucht;

- by mesn'e assignments, to Le R'Oii Go'mpa'ny, Milwaukee; Wisz,v a. corporation of Wisconsin A maaoomiugustn, miatssriama. was:

' Thisinvention relatesto power tool's and more particularly to a fluid} actuatedpower tool havi'ng;novel valve means forcontrolling the operation of the; -tool;

An object of myinventionis to provide an improved-construction fora power tcol of-thekind will beapparent froin the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying sheets of drawings in whic h Fig 1'- is; an elevationalyiew ot'a fluidactuated tool'embodyi'ng my invention-:- I

Fig 2 is ah'levationalview; on-an enlarged scale; showing aportion oi the t'ool adiiacentthe control valve and with portions; of thevalve in section; Y

Figs 3; 4 and 5 are" transverse sectional views taken through v the control' va-lveon section lines 3-3, 4 -4 and 5 -5; respectively, of F-ig. 2} with the movablevalvepiece inthe positionfor operati'on-- of the toolat -reduced speed and witn reduced: feeding pressure;

'- Figs 3a} 4% and. 51a are similar: s'ectionalviews taken respe'ctively on-lines'-3*-3} 4 4; and 5 -5 of Fig; 2, but with the valvepiece in =the position for operation atfull speed and with Y reduced feedingpressura Figs; 317', 4b and i5bsareesimilar sectional views taken. respectivelyzon llnes:-3.3; ie-.4; and 55-25 orange 2; with the valveflpiecein thezpositi'oni for operation at full speed and with full feeding; prose sure,zand-t-.; g I

Fig 6: isv-a transverse sectional;- vlew etaken through-the controlgvalveton linex iieze-iioialiige 2 and showing the vaivespieceains itstoff? position with. the. feed cylinder, -.ventedr.to atmosphere As will become more apparent in the follow-lng detaileddescription;. mysinvention". isiapplicable tonfiuid;actuated2too1sa o:the,kindzhaving feed and power cylinders iandzisparticularlyi suitable for percussive tools such as stopers' and other rock drills; In; using a stoper; diffifcultyinis 1'67 que'ntlyi experienced insthei collaringii'=operatiom iii-cla ms. (options-o) work This step is facilitated if the drillsteel canbe operated atreduced speed and atathe'same time-moved s-lowly-up to the work byusingmaredjuced feeding pressure: It is also'desirable that, after thedrill steel has been moved tothe work; the stoper'be capable of? operation: at'a constant reducedspeed but with an adjustable feeding pressure so as-to-permit the stoper to be proper-ly hold against the drill s-teel to obtain the' cutting actio'nnecessary for collaring- When soft spots are encounter-eddn drilling, it" is also desirable tobe able t-o run the stoper' at full speedbut with a reduced feeding *pressureto prevent-'- the drill st'eel from burying itseli in-the soft material. It is also necessary; of-course; to he able to' -operate tlie tool at full speed and at fullfeeding pressurez With the valve-means to be described hereinafter these conditions or.- requirements areiulfilled in an efficient and satisfactory mannerz 5 In-the drawings: I show a percussive; tool or stoper-l o having-ahousing section I I containing a power cylinder I 2f'oractuating thedrill. steel l3 and a housing; section htcontaininga feed cylinder 15: for actuating an extendable thrust member= l B for feeding the -to'oltoward thework: The-housing section- H may have a suitable handle-- I 1 connected therewith f or manipulating the tool.

For controlling the operation: of the: feed and power cylinders I 5 and l2; the-tool isprovided with =a control-' valve or throttle-waive i8. This control valve comprises a-housingorvalve-cham b'er l9 and' a valve :piece 2 ll which isirotatable or oscillatable therein and 'is' provided with a chandle 2 for-"actuating- :the same; The: housing [9 has a fl-uid supply-connection 22 for supplying thereto: a :suitablemotivefluid such as compressed air.- 7'

Asshown in the drawings: (see-Fi'gs.-- Stand 4); the valve; housing: I 9J containsspassages 23:1 and I 24 leading respectively-textilepowerrcylinder I2 thatasis, 'iri gettingstnesdrillz'steelistarterifiimthe i and theifeedacylinder. IS; The: valve housing; i9 also hassan'lorifice 25.:whichdst open tozatmoszpherm as shown in. Fig: 5 Thezvalve-vpiece 2021s h01l'ow .andris V opemat its; inner end :Eso;that:the pressures fluid: supplied: through: the connection 22ientersrthis members As ,showminiFigsi 3.:and 4, the valve piece zflihas sub'stantially; radially ex; tending :powter ports zi'iandifl ands, substantially radially extending feed-190111718: The va1ve-;piece 20'? also. has" an: arcuatelwextending peripheral groove: 2 9 :communicatingiwlthtttlieafeedsportazc and iaiplurality of Jcircumierentialwispacedcaxial slots .orvgroovea; inv. thisiinstance; twmsuch slots 30sand 3 l .whichiare.eccnne'ctedzwitmthe arcuate sr'oovezili Iii adz'iition;thewaiverztloisrprovided 3 with an axial slot or groove 32 which is similar to the slots 30 and 3|, but which does not communicate with the arcuate groove 29.

Figs. 3 to 5 inclusive show the valve piece in the position for operation of the tool at slow speed and with reduced feeding pressure. The power port 2'! is of reduced size as compared with the power port 26 and Fig. 3 shows the port 21 in communication with the passage 23 leading to the power cylinder [2 for supplying pressure fluid thereto at a rate to produce such slow speed operation. Fig. 4 showsthe arcuate groove 29 as connecting the feed port 28 with the passage 24 leading to the feed cylinder l5. With the valve piece in this position, the axial slot 30 is in communication with the passage '25 leading to atmosphere (see Fig. 5) and forms a bleed connection or passage for reducing the pressure of the fluid being supplied to the feed cylinder.

It is important in the operation of the tool controlled by the valve IE to be able to vary or adjust the reduced feeding pressure being used while the tool is being operated at reduced speed, as provided by the valve setting shown in Figs. 3 to 5 inclusive. This is especially desirable in the operation of a stcper for the above-described collaring step and is obtained by moving the valve handle 2! so that the slot 30 will cooperate with the edge of the orifice 25 and its communication with the latter passage will thereby be more or less restricted. In other words, by moving the handle 2| back and forth within a small are extending clockwise from the handle position shown in Fig. 5, the slot can be partially closed and the efiectiveness of the bleed passage thereby changed to correspondingly vary the feeding pressure.

In Figs. 3a to Bet, inclusive, the valve piece 20 is shown as having been moved to the position for operating the tool at full speed but with reduced feeding pressure. Fig. 3a shows the main power port 25 in communication with the passage 23 to the power cylinder I2 and Fig. 4a shows that forrthis position of the valve the arcuate groove 29 is still in communication with the passage 24 leading to the feed cylinder I5. For this position of the valve, the axial slot or passage 3! is in communication with the atmosphere orifice 25, as shown in Fig. 5a so that the bleeding of fluid to atmosphere will reduce the pressure of the fluid being supplied to the feed cylinder I5.

Figs. 3b to 5b, inclusive, show the valve piece 20 in its final or full on position in which the tool is operated at full speed or power and with full feeding pressure. With the valve in this position, the main power port 26 is in communication with the passage 23 leading to the power cylinder l2, as shown in Fig. 3b, and the arcuate groove 29 is still in communication with the passage 24 leading to the feed cylinder l5yas shown in Fig. 41).. Since full feeding pressure is desired at this time, the axial slots 30 and 31 are both out of communicationwith the orifice 25 and there is no bleeding of pressure fluid to atmosphere, and hence the fluid being supplied to the feed cylinder [5 is at full working pressure.

When the valve piece 2!! is moved to the off position to discontinue the operation of the tool it is desirable that the pressure fluid be exhausted from the feed cylinder 15 so as to permit the thrust member 15 to be retracted. The axial slot 32 is provided in the valve piece 20 for the purpose'of exhausting the pressure fluid from .the

feed cylinder l5 and is so located that when the 4 valve is moved to its off position, as shown in Fig. 6, this slot will connect the passage 24 with the atmosphere orifice 25 for relieving the pressure in the feed cylinder.

The valve piece 20 can be releasably retained in the different positions to which it is movable, by employing suitable retaining means such as a detent (not shown) which is engageable in slots or recesses 34 provided in the valve at circumferentially spaced points,

From the foregoing description and the accompanying drawings it will now be readily apparent that I have provided an improved fluid actuated tool having a novel control valve or throttle valve which will permit operation of the tool at different speeds and will enable the operator to use either full pressure or a reduced pressure for feeding the drill toward the work. It will be seen further that the novel control valve which I have provided permits fluid to be bled to atmosphere in obtaining the reduced pressure for the fluid being supplied to the feed cylinder.

While I have illustrated and described my improved power tool and the control valve therefor in considerable detail, it will be understood of course that I do not wish to be correspondingly limited, but regard my invention as including all changes and modifications coming within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims. 7

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a valve for distributing pressure fluid to the motor and feed cylinder of a stoper, a valve housing having an inlet for pressure fluid, a passage for motor fluid, a passage for feed fluid and an orifice leading to atmosphere, a hollow valve piece operable in said housing havin ports for connection simultaneously with said motor fluid passage and said feed passage, the interior of said hollow valve piece being in communication with said inlet whenever either of said ports is in operative position, and said valve also having a bleed passage adapted, when the valve piece is in position to connect said feed passage with said inlet, for connecting said feed passage with said orifice independently of said motor fluid passage.

2. In a valve for distributing pressure fluid to the motor and feed cylinder of a stoper, a valve housing having an inlet for pressure fluid, a passage for motor fluid, a passage for feed fluid'and an orifice leading to atmosphere, a hollow valve piece operable in said housing having ports for connection simultaneously with said motor fluid passage and said feed passage, the interior of said hollow valve piece being in communication with said inlet whenever either of said ports is in operative position, and said valve also having a bleed pass-age adapted, when the valve piece is in position to connect both. of said passages with said inlet, for connecting said feed passage with said orifice independently of said motor fluid passage.

3. In a valve for distributing pressure fluid to the motor and feed cylinder of a stoper, a valve housing having an inlet for pressure fluid, a passage for motor fiuid, a passage for feed fluid and an orifice leading to atmosphere, a hollow valve piece operable in said housing having ports for connection with said motor fiuid passage and said feed passage, the interior of said hollow valve piece being in communication with said inlet whenever either of said ports is in operative position, and said valve also having a bleed passage adapted, when the valve piece is in position i to connect said feed passage with said inlet, for

connecting said feed passage with said orifice independently of said motor fluid passage, the degree of opening of said bleed passage being variable while the motor fluid port remains in communication with the motor fluid passage.

4. In a valve for distributing pressure fluid to the motor and feed cylinder of a stoper, a valve housing having an inlet for pressure fluid, a passage for motor fluid, a passage for feed fluid and an orifice leading to atmosphere, a hollow valve piece operable in said housing having ports for connection with said motor fluid passage and said feed passage, the interior of said hollow valve piece being in communication with said inlet whenever either of said ports is in operative position, and said valve also having a bleed passage adapted, when the valve piece is in position to connect said feed passage with said inlet, for connecting said feed passage with said orifice independently of said motor fluid passage, the degree of opening of said bleed passage decreasing as the motor fluid port approaches full connection with the motor fluid passage,

5. In a valve for distributing pressure fluid to the motor and feed cylinder of a stoper, a valve housing having an inlet for pressure fluid, a passage for motor fluid, a passage for feed fluid and an orifice leading to atmosphere, a hollow valve piece operable in said housing having two ports for connection successively with said motor fluid passage and a port for connection with said feed passage, the interior of said hollow valve piece being in communication with said inlet whenever either of said ports is in operative position, and said valve also having a bleed passage adapted, when the valve piece is in position to connect said feed passage with said inlet, for continuously connecting said feed passage to said orifice while one of said motor fluid ports is in communication with said motor fluid passage.

6. In a valve for distributing pressure fluid to the motor and feed cylinder of a stoper, a valve housing having an inlet for pressure fluid, a passage for motor fluid, a passage for feed fluid and an orifice leading to atmosphere, a hollow valve piece operable in said housing having two ports for connection successively with said motor fluid passage and a port for connection with said feed passage, the interior of said hollow valve piece being in communication with said inlet whenever any of said ports is in operative position, and said valve also having two bleed passages, one of which is adapted, when the valve piece is in position to connect said feed passage with said inlet, for connecting said feed passage with said orifice While one of said motor fluid ports is in communication with said motor fluid passage and the other of said bleed passages is adapted to afford the same communication while the other of said motive fluid ports is in communication with said motor fluid passage.

7. In a valve for distributing pressure fluid to the motor and feed cylinder of a stoper, a valve housing having an inlet for pressure fluid, a passage for motor fluid, a passage for feed fluid and an orifice leading toatmosphere, a valve sleeve operable in said housing having radial motor fluid and feed fluid ports adapted for connection respectively with said motor fluid and feed fluid passages, the interior of said sleeve being in communication with said inlet whenever either of said ports is in operative position, said valve sleeve also having a surface groove connected with said radialfeed fluid port, said valve also having a bleed passage adapted, when the valve piece is in position to connect said groove with said feed passage, to communicate with said orifice independently of said motor fluid passage.

8. In a valve for distributing pressure fluid to the motor and feed cylinder of a stoper, a valve housing having an inlet for pressure fluid, a passage for motor fluid, a passage for feed fluid and an orifice leading to atmosphere, a hollow valve piece in said housing shiftable to different positions having motor fluid ports movable successively into communication with said motor fluid passage, and said valve piece having feed port means including a peripheral groove movable into connection with said feed fluid passage, the interior of said hollowvalve piece being in communication with said inlet whenever any of said ports is in operative position, said valve also having bleed passage means for connecting said groove with said orifice during at least part of the time that each of said motor fluid ports is in communication with said motor fluid passage.

9. In a valve for distributing pressure fluid to the motor and feed cylinder of a stoper, a valve housing having an inlet for pressure fluid, a passage for motor fluid, a passage for feed fluid and an orifice leading to atmosphere, a hollow valve piece in said housing shiftable to different positions having motor fluid ports movable successively to communicate with the said motor fluid passage, said valve piece having an-arcuate surface groove adapted to maintain connection with said feed fluid passage for different positions of the valve and a radial port in communication with said groove, the interior of said hollcw valve piecebeing in communication with said inlet whenever any of said ports is in operative position, said valve piece having spaced axially extending, grooves connected with said arcuate groove movable successively to communicate with said orifice during the successive movement of said motor fluid ports in communication with said motor fluid passage.

10. In a valve for distributing pressure fluid to themotor and feed cylinder of a' stoper, a valve housing having an inlet for pressure fluid, a passage for motor fluid and a passage for feed fluid, a valve piece in said housing having a motor fluid port smaller than said motor fluid passage and a separate motor fluid port of the same size as said motor fluid passage, each of which ports is adapted to communicate with said motor fluid passage in certain positions of the valve, the interior of said hollow valve piece being in communication with said inlet whenever any of said ports is in operative position, and said valve piece having port means adapted to pass feed fluid to said feed passage while each of said motor fluid ports is in communication with said motor fluid passage,

ALBERT FEUCI-IT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 4 file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Feucht Aug. 6, 1940 

